The Failure of Sustainable Architecture

THE FAILURE OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
The Past – The Present – The Future
M. Moemen Afify, Ph.D.
Professor of Architecture & Environmental Design - Faculty of Engineering- Cairo University.
Building Simulation Conference - BSCairo 2019

THE FAILURE OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE - The Past, The Present and The Future
Prof. Dr. M. Moemen Afify – BSCairo 2019
Is what we are designing and constructing worldwide
and we call it “Sustainable Buildings” considered to
be real sustainable architecture,,, ?
Is that what we were looking for,,,, ?
Or there should be a more sustainable architecture,
not only by numbers, materials, and rating systems,
but by real philosophies of sustainability,,, ?
A Question that was asked by lots and lots of
practitioners in the field.

If we are looking for real sustainable architecture,
then why do we face lots of building problems such
as higher energy consumption than planned, higher
use of industrialized materials with negative effect on
the environment, lower indoor air quality than
expected in our sustainable buildings, as well as
several other aspects and at the end we call it
“Sustainable Architecture”.

In early 1980s Bruntland G.H.
wrote in his book “Our
Common Future” his definition
of sustainability:
”Sustainable development is
the development that meets
the needs of the present
without compromising the
ability of the future
generations to meet their
own needs”.
Did we achieve those points in
what we call sustainable
buildings?

The
term sustainability is
broadly used to indicate
programs, initiatives and
actions aimed at the
preservation of a
particular resource.
However, it actually
refers to four distinct
areas: human, social,
economic and
environmental - known
as the four pillars of
sustainability.
Source: RMIT University

Social Sustainability aims to preserve social
capital by investing and creating services that
constitute the framework of our society.
Human Sustainability aims to maintain and
improve the human capital in society.
Investments in the health and education
systems, access to services, nutrition,
knowledge and skills are all programs under
the umbrella of human sustainability.

Economic Sustainability aims to
maintain the capital intact. If social
sustainability focuses on improving social
equality, economic sustainability aims to
improve the standard of living. As stated
by the UK Government (Annual Report
2000, January 2001):
“Maintaining high and stable levels of
economic growth is one of the key
objectives of sustainable development.
Abandoning economic growth is not an
option. But sustainable development is
more than just economic growth. The
quality of growth matters as well as the
quantity.“
Source: RMIT

Environmental Sustainability aims to improve
human welfare through the protection of natural
capital (e.g. land, air, water, minerals etc.).
Initiatives and programs are defined
environmentally sustainable when they ensure
that the needs of the population are met without
the risk of compromising the needs of future
generations.

Prof. Dr. M. Moemen Afify
There was a time in which this
word was valuable and vogue, but
it has evolved into an oversized
buzzword, an all-encompassing
term associated with so many
aspects of architecture:
environmental, social and
economic and that its impact has
been diluted beyond recognition:
“What is sustainable design?
It’s a notion everywhere, but
no one seems to know exactly
what it means.”
Source: Architizer Journal – Angry Architect, Vitamin Green Preface
of Phaidon’s in depth compilation.

There are lots of
experiments worldwide in
which architects adopted
sustainability philosophies
on their projects. It raised
lots of interest that some
of the architects, not
sitting on their desks when
it comes to
preconceptions pertaining
to sustainability.
As outlined in Vitamin Green
book by Phaidon, such
experiments offers the hope
that the use of word
sustainability might be
sustainable once more.

Sustainable Architecture Design
Approaches:
There are three main approaches
for sustainable architectural
design:
1. Rating systems.
2. Plug and Play System (by the
author).
3. Architectural sustainability by
philosophy approach: Hi-tech
and Low-tech in relation to
context.
Unfortunately what we see is that
most of the approaches are
focusing on energy conservation
rather than other pillars of

Prof. Dr. M. Moemen Afify – BSCairo 2019.
1- RATING SYSTEMS Sustainable
Architecture:
There are several rating systems, checklists,
and guidelines for green and sustainable
architecture, the most common and well
know is LEED by the United Stated Green
Building Council – USGBC.
The rating systems showed up to give what
is called sustainable buildings but might not
cover the four pillars of sustainability
outlined previously.
Lots of reports and lawsuits where carried
out on USGBC as per the numbers outlined
by the certificate does not match the
outcome of the checklists and studies done
on the buildings before construction.

1- RATING SYSTEMS
Sustainable Architecture:
Other aspects as mentioned by Brian
Barth in his research dated 13th June
2018 regarding LEED certificate:
The building does not get
well translated to construction
and operation. Its like buying
a car and expecting a certain
level of miles per gallon.
Poor driving is similar to
poor buildings operations and
you have to adjust your
driving habits. In such a

1- RATING SYSTEMS:
“ We found out that the buildings energy
consumption was far too high, systems were
finished off properly, no one knew how to use
and they were misfiring on a whole range of
criteria.
A building can be mounted with wind turbines
or photovoltaics, but they don’t contribute
nearly as mush as designers think they should
do because they haven’t driven down the
energy requirements to begin with”.
Source: Green Buildings failed by follow-up, Philip Hopkins, 2010,

1- RATING SYSTEMS:
On the other hand, USGBC change the course
of the building industry for the better. Without
the USGBC and LEED, smart thermostats, low –
VOC paints might have not been available in
the market.
At the end of the day, some expect to have
sustainable buildings by just achieving some of
the points in the checklists, and that the
outcome is to be a sustainable building, which
brings us back once more to the four pillars of
Sustainability:
ARE THEY ALL ACHIEVED BY RATING
SYSTEMS???
AS WELL AS, IS THE OUTCOME CONSIDERED

2- “PLUG AND PLAY” SUSTAINABLE
ARCHITECTURE:
The “Plug and Play” sustainable
architecture is the most common and
easiest method to say a building is
sustainable. Such “Plug and Play” approach
is based on applying systems such as PV
modules, wind turbines, energy efficient
faucets, efficient glass to the facades, and
installing installation would not ever
provide a sustainable architecture.

2- “PLUG AND PLAY”
SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE:
Unfortunately, the Plug and
play system, is the most
common understanding of
architects for a sustainable
architecture and buildings, as
well as in architecture
education schools worldwide.
The philosophy of
sustainability, as well as the
four pillars do not show in the
architectural outcome of such
buildings.

2- “PLUG AND PLAY”
SUSTAINABLE
ARCHITECTURE:
As an example of “plug and
play” systems that could be
added to a building are
energy consumption
techniques, renewable
energies, utilize water
consumption through reuse
of storm water and utilize
water consumption in
fixtures.
There is no real
architectural sustainable
philosophy in the building
nor the 4 pillars.

3- SUSTAINABLE
ARCHITECTURE By its
Philosophy:
A large number of projects
that were constructed lately
had the real understanding
of sustainability and its
philosophy in architecture.
Most of such projects were
not seeking a rating system,
but looking for architecture,
for well being of people
and environment.

3- SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
By its Philosophy:
Most of such projects were down
to earth and depended mainly on
the context in which they are to be
built. Moreover, several projects
were designed and constructed
with simplicity, that it could be
easily felt in terms of its
sustainability.

By its Philosophy:
Sustainable Architecture by its
philosophy and achieving the
four pillars of sustainability,
could be categorized by two
types:
1. Hi-tech Sustainable
Architecture.
2. Low-Tech sustainable
Architecture.
Photo source: Dubai Expo 2020

3- SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE By its
Philosophy: Hi-Tech Sustainable Architecture.
Sustainable philosophies are implemented in
such architecture but with hi-technological
systems, and in the same time hi-costs. It all
starts by a section or a plan in which several
context measures are applied including weather
and climatic conditions, surroundings whether
buildings or other entities. The complete
building design is an integration of
architectural design “”plus”” systems
integration that would lead to a sustainable
building, and in several cases could reach a
Zero Energy Building.
The importance of such trend, is that its
architecture is strong, iconic and the
sustainability measures could be easily read.

By its Philosophy: Hi-Tech
Sustainable Architecture.
The design process starts by a site
analysis, and further the
architecture is determined by a
building form and a cross section
in which sustainability measures
could be implemented within the
buildings. In several cases, the four
pillars of sustainability could be
easily determined.

3- SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE By its
Philosophy: Low-Tech Sustainable Architecture.
On the other hand Low-Tech sustainable
architecture is more related to “vernacular
architecture”.
Buildings are more related to cultural,
climatization traditions, local usage of
materials, and implementation in modern
techniques if applicable.
Photo Source: Tarek Labib Architects

3- SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE By
its Philosophy: Low-Tech Sustainable
Architecture.
Several projects that were awarded
the Agha Khan Award for
architecture, served communities in
the Islamic world but were designed
and constructed with Low-tech
sustainability measures. Such
projects could show how traditions,
building materials, providing human
comfort, energy conservation,
serving culture and all other pillars
for sustainability were achieved.
Photo source: Agha Khan Award of Architecture

3- SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE by its
PHILOSOPHY:
Both types of Sustainable architecture by
Philosophy, High-tech and Low-tech, had the
four pillars of sustainability achieved in most
of the buildings, but the cost of
implementation of such pillars are highly
different. Success of sustainable buildings
showed in several cases that there is a need
to engage people on all stages of the project:
design, construction and operation.

DISCUSSION:
Architects should reexamine the meaning in
relation to problems pertaining to climate
change, resource consumption and waste, and
should consider the four pillars of
sustainability in their works. It is of importance
also to note the following points:
1. applying sustainable measures differ from
a country to another, from a region to
other and is not a checklist that is used in
any place.

2- Applying
sustainable measures
is a long process and
it has to consider the
four pillars of
sustainability to be
considered as a real
sustainable project
and not taking just a
part and leaving the
rest.

3-In spite of applying the
sustainability measures on
buildings could achieve a
sustainable building, but it could
not achieve real architecture in
relation to its context. It is of
importance that architects’
outcome is iconic in terms of the
buildings sustainability as well as
its architecture and innovation.

There were several propositions
for the future of sustainable
architecture one of which is by
LEAP Architecture that defined a
pyramid shape is and at its upper
section comes Living Buildings
Challenge.
“The Living Building Challenge™ is a
building certification program, advocacy
tool and philosophy that defines the
most advanced measure of sustainability
in the built environment possible today
and acts to rapidly diminish the gap
between current limits and the end-
game positive solutions we seek”.
Source:LEAP architecture.

The matrix shows
other criteria points
that were
implemented in the
matrix such as
Equity, Beauty and
Health + happiness.
Source:LEAP architecture.

The idea of the smart building or living buildings is still
young. There is no accepted definition yet, but one of
the best examples that illustrates the concept is
“OCCUPANT-CENTRIC CONTROL –OCC”. This involves
using data gathered from occupants, the indoor
environment and the outdoor climate to optimize
occupant comfort and control and energy efficiency.
Source: Concordia University, Patrick Lejtenyi, 2019

The building’s critical
functions — lighting,
heating, AC, window blinds
and so on — would be run
by a control system that
learns information like room
occupancy patterns, light
use and temperature
adjustment. For buildings
with dozens or hundreds of
occupants, this can have
wide-ranging effects on
overall energy costs.
Source: Concordia University, Patrick Lejtenyi, 2019

On the other hand, “PALETTE 2030”
forms a simple and applicable solution
for architects, builders and home
owners, to implement sustainability
measures within their projects.
Source: Palette 2030.

Palette 2030, is not a checklist but rather
guidelines for all measures that could be
implemented in buildings to attain
sustainability. Passive measures, building
form, materials, planning, etc…..
Source: Palette 2030.

Based on the previous
categorization of
sustainability in architecture,
its positives and negatives, it
is of importance to reach the
main understanding for it:
“ARCHITECTURE THAT
FUFILLS THE HUMAN NEEDS
AND PROVIDE SHELTER FOR
USERS IN THE PRESENT AND
FUTURE WITHIN ITS
CONTEXT“.

Even with achieving the four pillars
of sustainability in architecture,
still remains that architects should
build architecture that suits
context and fulfills the needs, and
deals with climatic change.

Unless there is an understanding of
architects, builders and owners of the real
philosophy of sustainable architecture, the
real sustainability could not be fulfilled to
its understanding. That is the reason we
added a pillar to the four pillars:
“ARCHITECTURE WITHIN CONTEXT”
which is a must in all projects.

References:
Sustainability 2018, Torstern Shroeder, Giving Meaning to the Concept of
Sustainability in Architectural design Practices – Setting out the Analytical
Framework of Translation.
https://www.facebook.com/311639622719816/posts/485634838653626?sfns=mo
https://res.mdpi.com/d_attachment/sustainability/sustainability-10-
01710/article_deploy/sustainability-10-01710-v4.pdf
http://www.kentlaw.edu/faculty/fbosselman/classes/energyF09/Coursedocs/Hoekst
raMelanieFinalLEEDPpt.pdf
https://psmag.com/environment/past-present-and-future-of-sustainable-
architecture
http://www.2030palette.org/
http://www.concordia.ca/news/stories/2019/11/12/smart-buildings-face-lots-of-
challenges-but-have-plenty-of-potential-says-concordia-
researcher.html?c=/news/archive&sfns=mo
Photos copyright goes to several internet sites such as and not limited to:
- Ecological architecture – Agha khan award of architecture – sustainable
architecture – krisada t. prachaya –sustainable cities – as well as several other site.
THANK YOU
Prof. M. Moemen Afify, Ph.D.

The Failure of Sustainable Architecture

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to The Failure of Sustainable Architecture

Similar to The Failure of Sustainable Architecture (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

The Failure of Sustainable Architecture